Thoughts on a National Security Strategy
Abstract
This research report was written by Lieutenant Colonel David Tillotson III, U.S. Air Force, in the form of a letter to the new Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe, General James Toner. The author writes the letter as if he were General Tillotson III, the outgoing Commander in Chief of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. In the letter, General Tillotson passes on to General Toner some thoughts to consider as the latter embarks on his new assignment. The focus of his thoughts is a new National Security Strategy. General Tillotson is concerned that the U.S. military is not developing a strategy to take advantage of an historic opportunity that has opened up for them. Changes in the international environment may allow military leaders to take a certain amount of risk to achieve major gains both in terms of improved security and improved economic power. The failure to take advantage of these opportunities causes a perception, particularly with members of Congress, that the military is continuing to justify its existence in the same Cold War terms they had used in the past. While some of the criticisms are not valid, these members of Congress are reflecting legitimate concerns of the American people. Finally, he is concerned that the present strategy, while affordable, may permit the military to achieve nothing more than maintenance of present, albeit improved, capabilities. This maintenance of the status quo may make the military vulnerable to a range of threats in the future that it can foresee today, but which must be addressed now because of lead time considerations. In the remainder of the letter, General Tillotson assesses the current military strategy using as a basis the national interests defined in the National Security Strategy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA258357
Entities
People
- David Tillotson Iii
Organizations
- Air War College